AN ELEGY, To an Old BEAUTY. Thomas Parnell Alexander Huber Editor Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford
Broad Street Oxford OX1 3BG UK
Eighteenth-Century Poetry Archive
Taylor Institution Library St Giles' Oxford OX1 3NA UK info@eighteenthcenturypoetry.org https://www.eighteenthcenturypoetry.org/
Oxford This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. T42652 p. 554 K041605.000 Parnell, Thomas, 1679-1718. Poems on Several Occasions: Written by Dr. Thomas Parnell, Late Arch-Deacon of Clogher: and Published by Mr. Pope. London printed for B. Lintot 1722 [1721] pp. 128-133. [8],221,[3]p.; 8⁰.

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AN ELEGY , To an Old BEAUTY . IN vain , poor Nymph , to please our youthful sight You sleep in Cream and Frontlets all the Night , Your Face with Patches soil , with Paint repair , Dress with gay Gowns , and shade with foreign Hair . If Truth in spight of Manners must be told , Why really Fifty Five is something old . Once you were young ; or one , whose Life's so long She might have born my Mother , tells me wrong . And once ( since Envy's dead before you dye , ) The Women own , you play'd a sparkling Eye , Taught the light Foot a modish little Trip , And pouted with the prettiest purple Lip — To some new Charmer are the Roses fled , Which blew , to damask all thy Cheek with red ; Youth calls the Graces there to fix their Reign , And Airs by thousands fill their easy Train . So parting Summer bids her flow'ry Prime Attend the Sun to dress some foreign Clime , While with'ring Seasons in Succession , here , Strip the gay Gardens , and deform the Year . But thou ( since Nature bids ) the World resign , 'Tis now thy Daughter's Daughter's time to shine . With more Address , ( or such as pleases more ) She runs her Female Exercises o'er , Unfurls or closes , raps or turns the Fan , And smiles , or blushes at the Creature Man . With quicker Life , as guilded Coaches pass , In sideling Courtesy the drops the Glass . With better Strength , on Visit-days she bears To mount her fifty Flights of ample Stairs . Her Mein , her Shape , her Temper , Eyes and Tongue Are sure to conquer . — for the Rogue is young ; And all that's madly wild , or oddly gay , We call it only pretty Fanny's way . Let Time that makes you homely , make you sage , The Sphere of Wisdom is the Sphere of Age . 'Tis true , when Beauty dawns with early Fire , And hears the flatt'ring Tongues of soft Desire , If not from Virtue , from its gravest Ways The Soul with pleasing Avocation strays . But Beauty gone , 'tis easier to be wise ; As Harpers better , by the loss of Eyes . Henceforth retire , reduce your roving Airs , Haunt less the Plays , and more the publick Pray'rs , Reject the Mechlin Head , and gold Brocade , Go pray , in sober Norwich Crape array'd . Thy pendent Diamonds let thy Fanny take , ( Their trembling Lustre shows how much you shake ; ) Or bid her wear thy Necklace row'd with Pearl , You'll find your Fanny an obedient Girl . So for the rest , with less Incumbrance hung , You walk thro' Life , unmingled with the young ; And view the Shade and Substance as you pass With joint Endeavour trifling at the Glass , Or Folly drest , and rambling all her Days , To meet her Counterpart , and grow by Praise : Yet still sedate your self , and gravely plain , You neither fret , nor envy at the Vain . 'Twas thus ( if Man with Woman we compare ) The wise Athenian crost a glittering Fair , Unmov'd by Tongues and Sights , hewalk'd the place , Thro' Tape , Toys , Tinsel , Gimp , Perfume , and Lace ; Then bends from Mars's Hill his awful Eyes , And What a World I never want ? he cries ; But cries unheard : For Folly will be free . So parts the buzzing gaudy Crowd , and He : As careless he for them , as they for him ; He wrapt in Wisdom , and they whirl'd by Whim .